Stations of
the Cross

A way of the cross was erected in the woods on the Feast of the
Seven Dolors, April 12, 1889, with approval of Archbishop Peter
Richard Kenrick.

As more and more pilgrims came to Starkenburg, Father Hoehn decided
that more elaborate stations should be purchased with assistance
from the Pilgrims. In 1900, Father Jacob Denner, a former
student of Father Hoehn's, came to spend his Christmas vacation
here. While walking through the woods to the Grotto, Father
Hoehn mentioned to Father Denner that he would like to get
donations for this purpose.

Three days later, a letter was received from Mr. Joseph Highberger
from Westphalia, Kansas. He had attended many Pilgrimages at
Starkenburg, and wanted to buy new stations for the woods, to
replace the very simple ones. Mr. Highberger and Fr. Hoehn
went to St. Louis, Missouri, shortly after the new year 1901 to
purchase the new stations. New images were purchased at B.
Herder. Artist A.T. Kaletta, of St. Louis had made
them.

During the summer, the stations were begun with quarry stones for
the foundation and the remainder of brick. The crosses that
were erected on the stations were made of wood, a condition made by
the Church in order to gain indulgences. Mr. Highberger
donated the images, but various pilgrims donated each of the
fourteen niches.

On Sunday, August 4, 1901, Rev. P. Servatius Rasche, O.F.M.,
superior of the Franciscan Monastery at Hermann, blessed the new
Stations of the Cross in the presence of parishioners and some
Pilgrims from St. Louis. The following morning, the feast of
Our Lady of Snows, a solemn Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated by
Rev. Father Boehm of Dutzow, assisted by Father J.M. Denner and
Father Hoehn.

For forty years they stood, until the weather began to deteriorate
the soft brick structure. Some were partly eroded, others had
been demolished by falling trees, but the images remained
intact. They were inserted into the framework when, in 1949,
under the direction of Rev. P. Minwegan, O.M.I., the stations were
torn down and rebuilt of reinforced concrete. They are 13
feet high, on a base of solid concrete. This third set of
Stations was blessed in 1950 by Rev. Father Coleman Borgard,
O.F.M., of Hermann.